[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[school-core] Computer Donations Message --yes
http://www.School-Library.net
Read, Connect, Learn!
--- Matt Jezorek <matt@bluelinux.org> wrote:
>On Wed, 1 May 2002, Doug Loss wrote:
>
>> SEUL has been thinking about responding to Microsoft's attempt to
>> force schools to refuse to accept donated computers without the
>> original OS installed. Below is a copy of the last version of the
>> draft message we've come up with. We were thinking that this
>> message might have more impact if it came from Schoolforge rather
>> than from just SEUL. But we think it has to go out fairly quickly
>> while people are still thinking about Microsoft's webpage.
>>
>> Could we have a vote on whether or not to send such a message out
>> under the Schoolforge name? Remember, you're voting for your
>> organization, not yourself, so do whatever consultation you need to
>> before deciding. To vote, just reply to this message with the
>> appropriate subject line--"Computer Donations Message--yes" or
>> "Computer Donations Message--no". I'm voting "yes," of course,
>> since I'm bringing the idea up. Please try to vote as soon as
>> possible. Time is important here. We'd like to put this out this
>> week yet; certainly no later than Tuesday of next week.
>>
>> --------8<----cut-here----8<--------
>>
>> LINUX ENABLES SAFE COMPUTER DONATIONS TO SCHOOLS
>>
>> The Internet, Thursday, 02 May 2002: In an official announcement
>> from the SEUL
>> group today, spokesman Leon Brooks overturned Microsoft's draconian
>> threats
>> against the acceptance of donated computers by schools and other
>> needy
>> organisations.
>>
>> "Microsoft claims that it is a legal requirement that pre-installed
>> operating
>> systems remain with the computer for the life of the computer," he
>> said.
>> "Like viruses and security issues, that problem is almost exclusive
>> to
>> Microsoft. Using Linux, OpenOffice.org and other Open Source
>> software, you
>> can accept practically any donated computer regardless of operating
>> system,
>> erase the existing software, install Open Source software and
>> operate the
>> computer legally and safely as a powerful workstation or a server,
>> all at
>> little or no cost."
>>
>> Mr Brooks also noted that Linux rolled away the burdens, costs and
>> legal
>> risks of licence management and software asset auditing for all
>> businesses,
>> organisations and individuals. Linux is also easy to operate as a
>> diskless
>> workstation or "thin client", and many schools were rolling out
>> networks of
>> student terminals using this technology with both donated and new
>> equipment,
>> he explained.
>>
>> SEUL has dozens of case studies from real schools on line
>> (http://casestudy.seul.org/) showing the immediate financial
>> advantages of
>> this strategy, and the K-12 Linux Terminal Server Project group
>> (http://www.k12ltsp.org/casestudy.html) are also recording the
>> extensive
>> benefits of the thin-client approach with scores of real examples
>> submitted
>> from real schools by the people using it at the front lines.
>>
>> Some charitable organisations, such as Western Australia's Computer
>> Angels
>> (http://www.ca.asn.au/) already use Linux rather than risk being
>> destroyed at
>> the whim of Microsoft or their allies (http://www.bsaa.com.au/) as
>> the
>> Australian organisation `PCs for Kids' (http://www.pcsforkids.org/)
>> effectively was late last year,
>> (http://www.cnn.com/2001/BUSINESS/asia/08/09/aus.microsoftkids/index.html)
>>
>> and a similar organisation in New Zealand was in 1997
>> (http://www.idg.net.nz/webhome.nsf/UNID/1B2EA829EEBB476CCC256A8F000AD1BE?opendocument).
>>
>> On the other hand, Linux suppliers and users have a long tradition
>> of
>> supporting truly charitable organisations
>> (http://www.idgnet.co.nz/webhome.nsf/UNID/DC8B080246F1F98CCC256A940001A54C!opendocument).
>>
>> Larger or American organisations are not immune, here's
>> (http://www.softwaremetering.com/fines.html) a long list victims,
>> with only
>> one fine under USD$50,000 and some exceeding USD$500,000.
>>
>> SEUL is an organisation working towards a simpler, easier Linux
>> experience for
>> all, and may be contacted through their website at
>> http://www.seul.org/. In
>> combination with your local Linux user group - which you can locate
>> at
>> http://www.linux.org/ - SEUL can field volunteers to help schools
>> and
>> charitable organisations get started in the stable, secure, safe
>> world of
>> Linux.
>>
>> --------8<----cut-here----8<--------
>>
>> --
>> Doug Loss All I want is a warm bed
>> Data Network Coordinator and a kind word and
>> Bloomsburg University unlimited power.
>> dloss@bloomu.edu Ashleigh Brilliant
>>
>>
>
>--
>Matt Jezorek
>Executive Director / Founder
>Linux for Education
>Blue Linux
>http://www.linuxforeducation.com/
>http://www.bluelinux.org
>matt@bluelinux.org
_____________________________________________________________
Run a small business? Then you need professional email like you@yourbiz.com from Everyone.net http://www.everyone.net?tag